The Weekly Independent: October 17, 2016

Being a successful independent contractor or a client of choice isn’t just about doing the best work or having the best perks. It also means staying one step ahead of the curve. That’s why each week we bring you The Weekly Independent, a quick-hit digest of news of note from around the web.

MBO Partners held a productive gathering of clients and associates last week in Washington, DC. Clients gathered to discuss MBO’s Client of Choice research, the industry’s first and only comprehensive look into how enterprises can secure and retain top independent talent. After a day of interactive roundtables and discussion, the team gathered for a festive happy hour with some of MBO’s Washington, DC associates and staff, to discuss issues of importance to the independent workforce in a relaxed, casual setting. The event was a great success; we hope to bring a similar event to a city near you soon!

It has been a busy week for the independent workforce; McKinsey released a study similar to our own State of Independence tracking the global sizing and attitudes of independent workers. MBO Partners CEO Gene Zaino spoke with the Wall Street Journal about the growing number of independent professionals and their satisfaction with gig work.

A hospitality industry publication, Hospitality.net, covers a new trend: the “shared workspace hotel,” where hotel lobbies become communal workspaces for travelers. This popular-with-Millennials trend is becoming a part of hotel design; new entrants to the hospitality market, like West Elm and Equinox are adding these spaces to their design plans. The piece cites MBO’s data on the growing independent workforce as well.

Mashable offers a good guide for new independents starting out in the marketplace.

The gig economy is offering new options for working women who crave more balance in their lives, a new article from Fox News states. It also works for people who crave flexibility – many people would take a pay cut of up to 8% if they could work from home, says a recent study from the National Bureau of Economic Research.